The present invention relates generally to the field of seating and in particular to a reclining chair that is stackable and nestable.
Chairs for extended seating applications, such as banquet halls and conference rooms, should preferably be comfortable, durable, and either stackable or nestable for storage purposes. Traditional stackable banquet chairs include a pair of inverted-U-shaped leg members attached to opposite sides of a generally horizontal seat. A generally L-shaped back support frame interconnects with the leg members and extends upwardly from the rear of the seat to support a back cushion. This type of chair may be stacked by placing the inverted-U-shaped leg members of one chair over the top of the leg members of another chair, such that the seat of the upper chair is supported just above the seat of the lower chair. Examples of traditional stackable banquet chairs are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,733 to Burnett and U.S. Design Pat. No. 180,996 to Cramer. While this type of chair has wide applicability, many people prefer chairs that do not look like a traditional stacking chair. These traditional stacking chairs have the leg members completely exposed at the sides of the chairs. Some users prefer legs or leg members that are less visible.
The above-described chair is generally referred to as a stacking chair, because the leg members of one chair rest directly on the leg members of a lower chair creating a secure leg-on-leg stack. Multiple chairs may be securely stacked on top one another with this design.
An alternative to stacking chairs are so-called nesting chairs. Nesting chairs come in a variety of styles and are distinguished from stacking chairs in that the underside of a seat frame of one chair rests atop the seat cushion of a lower chair when the chairs are nested. An example of such a nesting chair is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,963 to Barile. An advantage with nesting chair designs is that the chair designer may configure the chair legs to be less exposed than with traditional stacking chairs.
Modem consumers require comfort and style in their chairs, but also demand cost-effective solutions given the highly competitive furniture industry. Further, the chairs must be durable and rugged, yet preferably mechanically simple, easily assembled, lightweight, and low-cost. Still further, many consumers want a modern appearance and a chair design that takes advantage of modern materials, part-forming processes, and assembly techniques. Often consumers need chairs that are mobile and that can be stored in dense arrangements that minimize the storage space required.
A problem is that these requirements create conflicting design criteria. For example, low-cost chairs tend to be less comfortable and less stylized. Chairs that are more comfortable, such as so-called “synchrotilt” chairs, have more expensive components and greater assembly costs, are neither stackable nor nestable for dense storage, and are usually too heavy to be lifted and/or stacked for storage.
A need has remained for a chair combining the benefits of an ergonomic design in a stackable and/or nestable chair.